My name is Karla Zimmerman. For more than 20 years I've been eating, drinking and playing in Chicago and around -- and writing about it for publishers like Lonely Planet, the BBC and Sutro Media. Looking for pie, beer or something oddball in the region? This blog's for you.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Mayor Emanuel just joined Foursquare, checking in at the hippie haven
Heartland Cafe to promote the new Windy City Badge. This sets up the
inimitable potential for the mayor to become the mayor of venues around
town. (For the uninitiated, one becomes the "mayor" of a place by
visiting it and "checking in" using the location-based Foursquare app,
and doing so more than anyone else.) Follow the mind-bending
possibilities via ChicagosMayor.

In another reality
twist, the fake Mayor Emanuel on Twitter has a new book out: The F***ing Epic Twitter Quest of @MayorEmanuel, by Dan Sinker. It recaps Sinker's
classic faux tweets in the guise of Emanuel during the mayoral election. To wit:

• OK, Carl the Intern makes a good point: Appellate courts are for pussies. We're going to motherf***ing Supreme this bullshit.

• If you have a giant f***ing pile of money and a bunch of dumb f***s running against you, DREAMS DO COME TRUE.

Monday, September 5, 2011

The Museum of Surgical Science is one of Chicago's oddest sights. Housed in a four-story Gold Coast mansion, it displays a wild collection of surgical gear and exhibits. A collection of "stones" (as in "kidney" and "gall-") and the ancient Roman vaginal speculum leave lasting impressions. Ever wanted to see an iron lung? Here's your chance.

Perhaps most striking is the hemorrhoid surgery toolkit (pictured). It serves as a reminder to eat lots of fiber.